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Quote by Richard A. Falk

“As matters now stand, the veto seems inappropriate, given the absence of any deep ideological split between major states, and definitely constrains the war-prevention mission of the UN. Similarly, the present permanent five are out of touch with geopolitical realities, and constitute a remnant of a West-centric world order, casting a shadow of illegitimacy across the activities of the most important organ of global policymaking in the UN System.”

Quote by Richard A. Falk

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Richard A. Falk

Richard A. Falk is a renowned international law scholar, born on November 13, 1930. He has extensive research and teaching experience in the fields of international law and international relations. more

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“To achieve effectiveness and legitimacy it is time to scrap the right of veto given to permanent members of the UN, or at least severely restrict its use. It is also time to either abandon the idea of permanent membership or broaden it to reflect the rise of non-Western states to the status of global leaders (e.g. Brazil, India, Indonesia, Turkey, South Africa), and to downgrade European representation by either giving the European Union a single seat or rotating a European state among Germany, France, UK, and Italy.”

“International law in its counter-hegemonic uses is very important in any domain where issues of legitimacy are significant, but is rarely able to have a corresponding behavioural impact.”

Important Use Able Law Issues Impact International Significant Domain Legitimacy Corresponding International Law

Author:Richard A. Falk

“The Goldstone Report establishes the credibility of the accusations directed at Israel with respect to its tactics used during the 2008 - 09 attacks on Gaza, but was not able to facilitate the next step that would have involved activating accountability mechanisms either within Israel or at the level of international society.”

Able Used Next Levels Steps Involved International Israel Reports Accountability Mechanism Tactics Credibility Next Steps Accusation Gaza Facilitate

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“The UDHR has become an iconic document over the course of more than six decades, the starting point for discussions of whether or not the rights as set forth are truly universal or slanted to reflect the hegemony of Western values, especially those associated with liberal individualism.”

Values Courses Rights Six Universal Western Starting Decades Discussion Individualism Documents Starting Point Iconic Hegemony Western Values

Author:Richard A. Falk

“There are degrees of incompatibility, and there are more factors relevant to upholding democracy and human rights than the operation of neoliberal markets. Perhaps this point can be initially made by reference to the decline of democracy and the erosion of human rights within the United States since the 9/11 attacks.”

Humans Made States United United States Democracy Rights Degrees Human Rights Factors Operations Relevant Decline Erosion Incompatibility Democracy And Human Rights

Author:Richard A. Falk

“The atmosphere of fear and security manipulated by the government has converted American citizens into terrorist suspects who are all subject to arbitrary and unreviewable detention and surveillance.”

Government Subjects Security Citizens Terrorist Atmosphere Suspects Arbitrary Surveillance American Citizens Detention

Author:Richard A. Falk

“Cumulatively, American society is sliding toward a new form of 'authoritarian democracy'. Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with the Constitution, but the reality of state - society relations is dramatically altered by the counter-terrorist claims of emergency rule and the right of exception.”

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Author:Richard A. Falk

“Terrorism is you winning hearts and minds of people.”

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“Our sense of the free market is variable, shifting from a more welfare-oriented model after the Great Depression to a capital-driven market after the collapse of socialism as a viable alternative.”

Models Driven Socialism Alternatives Welfare Collapse Free Market Shifting Great Depression Variables

Author:Richard A. Falk

“Post-1989 capitalism was far more unfriendly to economic and social rights than was the prior capitalism seeking to win public approval as a more compassionate economic arrangement than that which prevailed in state socialist economies.”

States Winning Social Economy Rights Economic Capitalism Seeking Posts Compassionate Approval Socialist Arrangements Unfriendly Socialist Economy

Author:Richard A. Falk